Bizen Sake Cup

This Bizen sake cup is a work by Kei Fujiwara, an artist beloved by all for a style that was both bold and open-hearted, with a warmth that shines through in every piece. It features a somewhat thick form and a "hikippanashi" (untouched) foot; its natural shape, which shows minimal intervention, evokes the very moment it was spinning on the potter's wheel. His trademark potter's seal, carved into the fine-textured, matte surface, is so exquisite that it is a work of art in itself. According to Keisuke Fujiwara, this piece dates to around 1955. Yushiki box (four-way tenon) included
Diameter 8.0cm x Diameter 7.1cm x Height 6.0cm Kei Fujiwara (1899–1983, born in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture) was encouraged to pursue the path of Bizen pottery by Atsuo Masamune, a scholar of Japanese literature living in Honami, Bizen. He learned the basics of wheel-throwing from Baikai Mimura, and from 1941, he honed his technical skills by studying firing techniques under fellow Living National Treasure, Toyo Kaneshige. Inspired by the simplicity and boldness found in Kamakura and Muromachi period utilitarian wares, he created jars and vases with a broad, clear style. The artistic education he absorbed in his youth greatly influenced his work. In 1954, he became the second Bizen pottery artist to be designated a Living National Treasure, and in 1958, he became a director of the Japan Kōgei Association. In 1977, the Kei Fujiwara Memorial Museum was established in Bizen City, Okayama.
Major awards include: Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Chugoku Cultural Award; named Honorary Citizen of Bizen City and Honorary Citizen of Okayama Prefecture; posthumously awarded the Junior Fifth Rank and the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class.